Saturday 11 December 2010




Course work: Continuing struggle with Stage Three of Project Two.



Reading and theoretical studies:



Victoria Finlay Color

Ballantine Books, New York, 2002

Pp. 339-375



Sketchbook work: A somewhat more developed study based on one of yesterday’s sketches, ~16 x 22 cm.

Time today: 1 hour 38 minutes

Friday 10 December 2010





Course work: Further work on Stage Three of Project Two. My inability to handle acrylics to my satisfaction continues to frustrate me, and I have had little luck in finding a solution to the problem of producing convincing soft edges.

Reading and theoretical studies:



Sarah Simblett The Drawing Book

Dorling Kindersley, London, 2004

Pp. 7-45



Sketchbook work:



Three small compositional studies using three apples, ~20 x 26cm.

Time today: 1 hour 31 minutes

Wednesday 8 December 2010




Course work: Continued work on Stage Three of Project Two. I am trying to work more boldly, but cannot say I am very pleased with what I have done recently.



Reading and theoretical studies:



Victoria Finlay Color

Ballantine Books, New York, 2002

Pp. 307-338



Time today: 1 hour 12 minutes

Tuesday 7 December 2010




Reading and theoretical studies:



Cynthia Freeland Art Theory

Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001

Pp. i-iii, 1-19



Sketchbook work: A quick sketch of some stacked bowls, ~14 x 14cm.

Time today: 39 minutes

Monday 6 December 2010




Course work: Additional work on Stage Three of Project Two, with some further work on the drapery folds and shadows.



Time today: 27 minutes

Thursday 2 December 2010





Course work: Resumed work on Stage Three of Project Two, beginning to paint in the drapery folds and trying to work somewhat more loosely.



Reading and theoretical studies:



Victoria Finlay Color

Ballantine Books, New York, 2002

Pp. 259-307



Sketchbook work: A sketch (~14x18cm) of a narrow portion of a shingle beach seen on my recent trip; my major objective here was to work out a technique for producing the sensation of depth.

Time today: 1 hour 51 minutes

Monday 22 November-Wednesday 1 December 2010




During this period I did a thorough review of my Assignment One work after receipt of my tutor’s comments, and a careful look at Assignment Two work to date in light of those comments. After about three weeks away from the easel, I discovered that I was not very satisfied with the painting in progress (and that I was having difficulty in getting back to work on the course). I should have painted the background almost completely before starting on the objects, and the two objects on the right should have been place further from the center in order to better balance the three on the left. The objects in the still-life seem less interesting than when I first set them up, but this may simply be due to constant exposure. I gave serious thought to abandoning this painting uncompleted, but decided to work further on it if for no other reason than to gain further experience in handling acrylics, a medium to which I may not be psychologically suited.